Brain Tumor: Symptoms and Diagnosis

A tumor in the brain can manifest itself through various symptoms, some of which can be very serious. Here you can learn how to recognize a brain tumor and what the medical examination looks like.

How does a brain tumor manifest itself?

The problem with brain tumors is that, whether benign or malignant, they grow in a region of the body that cannot extend outward. The tumor therefore displaces or destroys brain tissue, causing not only localized deficits but also increasing the pressure inside the skull. This leads to headaches, nausea and vomiting, and can culminate in impaired consciousness.

Variety of symptoms

If you suffer from massive headaches or vomiting for a long time especially in the morning and you have no explanation for it such as weather sensitivity or gastrointestinal infection, it would be better to have these symptoms examined more closely by a doctor.

Depending on the location of the tumor, the respective functions of the brain region are affected: In the case of a tumor in the front part of the brain, there are often psychological changes such as personality changes or changes in behavior; otherwise, paralysis, seizures or visual disturbances may occur.

Since tumors grow at different rates, a slow-growing meningioma may not show any symptoms at all for a long time – and when the diagnosis is made, one is then surprised at how large the meningioma already is.

Brain tumors rarely set metastases in neighboring organs, and the classic classifications of benign and malignant are applied to brain tumors only to a limited extent, since the clinical prognosis with signs of brain pressure and the chances of surgery must be considered much more than with other tumors.

How is a brain tumor investigated?

If a brain tumor is suspected, the physician will first take a detailed history as well as perform a clinical neurological examination. Following this, there are several procedures to choose from:

  • In addition to these measures, at least one imaging procedure is used to arrive at a diagnosis. With computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging, detailed imaging of the brain is possible, and simultaneous administration of a contrast agent further increases the significance of whether the tumor is benign or malignant. In addition, PET, positron emission tomography, can also provide more detailed information about how well the brain tumor is perfused – a highly perfused tumor indicates malignancy.
  • In the EEG, the electroencephalogram, the brain waves are shown. Regions of the brain that trigger seizures can thus be localized more precisely.
  • Tumor cells can sometimes be obtained during a cerebrospinal fluid puncture.
  • If the tumor can be approached well from the outside, a biopsy will clarify which type of tumor is present.
  • An X-ray vessel imaging (angiography) is needed before surgery to clarify which major arteries are involved in the tumor process.